1. Technical Field
The present invention pertains to the field of origami and papercraft. More particularly, the present invention pertains to constructing three-dimensional shapes from paper, or more generally any printable and foldable surface, according to a plan, affixed to the paper, that indicates where on the paper to place images so as to be displayed on the visible surfaces of the constructed figure.
2. Description of Related Art
How to construct from paper a cubical shape, such as a so-called "waterbomb," is well known. For example, "The Ultimate Papercraft and Origami Book" by Paul Jackson and Angela A'Court, provides a description of how to construct a waterbomb starting with a square piece of paper and constructed by aligning edges and centerlines. The cubical shape that results is proportional in size to the single dimension of the square paper used to construct it. A piece of paper 8.5" on a side, which is as large a square piece of paper as can be produced from letter-size paper (i.e. paper of dimensions 8.5".times.11"), will produce a cube approximately 2.125" on a side (vs. a cube 2.750" on a side for an 11".times.11" square piece of paper).
What is not known is how to use essentially all of a piece of non-square paper, and so be able to produce a larger cube from letter-size paper. In addition, what is not shown in the prior art is how to indicate on a piece of non-square paper where to place images so as to end up displayed on a side of a cube constructed from essentially all of the paper.
What is needed more generally is a way of indicating how to construct a three-dimensional figure from a piece of paper (or any foldable printable surface) bearing images that end up on visible surfaces of the constructed figure. In addition, what is needed is a way of indicating how to use paper that is non-standard in shape, for example rectangular but non-square, in the construction of a cube, without simply cutting the paper to form a standard shape of paper (for example, cutting rectangular paper into square paper in case of constructing a cube).